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A39501
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An Earnest call to family-catechising and reformation by a reverend divine.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing E95; ESTC R31403
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30,606
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74
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late Assembly recommended CAtechising in general is any Instruction by Word of Mouth more particularly it is a plain and familiar instructing of Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sono est vivâ voce instituere To instruct by Word of Mouth in the Rudiments of any Doctrine but yet most strictly of all it is taken for teaching the Principles of Christian Religion and we have both the Word and Thing it self in Scripture This Catechising is either publick and as such performed by a Minister of the Gospel Saith the Apostle let him that is Taught or Catechised in the Word communicate unto him that Teacheth or Catechiseth in all good things Gal. 6. 6. where we read both of the Catechist or him that Catechiseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Catechumen or the Person Catechised In another place the same Apostle mentions Instructors of Children as the Greek Word in its 1 Cor. 4. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictness signifies And there were in the Primitive Churches Catechists that is Teachers whose particular Work it was to Catechise and they had their Catechumens those that were instructed by them and it might be to very good purpose if we had such now But to descend from Publick to Private or Family-Catechising and Instruction which we have both Scripture-Precept and Precedent for We have among other these Scripture-Precepts and Commands for it These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy House c. Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. So in another place But teach them thy sons and thy sons sons c. Deut. 4. 9 10. Saith the Psalmist Ps 78. 5 6 7. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their Children c. Saith Solomon train up or Catechise a Child in the Prov. 22. 6. in the Margin way he should go c. Add to the rest that of the Apostle Fathers provoke not your Children to Wrath but bring them up in the Nurture Admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6. 4 I will now pass from Scripture-Precepts to Scripture-Precedents and Examples whereby this Duty of Family-Catechising is further confirmed Solomon writ his book of Proverbs To give subtlety to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 1. 1 4. And he calls upon his own Son thus My Son hear the instructions of a father and forsake not the law of thy Mother ver 8. He saith afterwards A wise son heareth his father's instruction Prov. 13. 1. c. Which implieth that a wise Father will give instruction to his Son He concludes that book of wise Sayings with the words of King Lemuel the prophecy that his mother taught him Prov 31. 1. c. Which contains indeed most excellent Catechetical Instructions Joshua resolved that he and his house would serve the Lord Jos 24. 15. having likewise no doubt so instructed them and intending to continue so doing Who can doubt but Timothy had been thus Catechised by his good Mother 2. Tim. 1. 5. and Grand-Mother whose faith he inherited But a great and standing Instance is that of Abraham the Father of the Faithfull and no doubt to be imitated by all his Spiritual Children Now of him God himself testifieth I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Gen. 18. 19. Thus you see we have both Scripture-Precepts and Precedents for the Warrant of this Duty of Family-Catechising and Instruction And what is there recorded is for our admonition Instruction ought indeed to be given occasionally yea and all occasions taken for it But publick and Family-Catechising cannot be methodically and throughly managed unless the chief heads of Christian Doctrine be first digested in a Form of Sound Words according to the Scriptures Now besides many other excellent Catechisms ready provided to our hands we have those of that Reverend Assembly which I recommend to you as being a little but withall great Body of Divinity and likewise because divers holy and good Men have written very worthily thereon whose books may assist your proceeding herein with more ease and profit both to your selves and Families CHAP. III. Directing Parents and Governours of Families for the Catechising of their Families I Now proceed to direct such as are Parents of Children and Governours of Families as to a method of procedure Wherein I include those of the Female Sex who have the greatest Advantage of Forming Children in their younger Years and whose Business engageth them to be more constantly at home If Queen Esther observe a private fast her maidens shall fast also Esther 4. 16. And no doubt she engaged them in more ordinary as well as these extraordinary Duties of Religion Mothers should be Mothers in Israel How the Royal Bathsheba did document her Solomon and honest and religious Lois and Eunice did instruct their Timothy in Scripture-knowledge I have already instanced Good Monica's Soul underwent stronger Travail-Pangs for the new Birth of her Austin than her Body did for his first Aug. Confession Birth Can you bear the Thoughts of it That those whom you have born from the Womb that have hung on your Breast and been dandled on your Knees should be Fire-brands in Hell to all Eternity and not rather desire and endeavour they may be Heirs of Eternal Glory Now to One and All of you I say in this Case as Jotham in another to the men of Shechem Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you Judg. 9. 7. 1. I desire Parents of Children and Governours of Families to consider with themselves what a great necessary and beneficial Duty this of Catechising is Humble your selves in secret before the Lord for your so great and long neglects of it Beg of God Courage for and Conduct and Success in it Resolve before the Lord that you will break through all Temptations and Oppositions and set upon this Duty and study to do it to the best advantage 2. Having thus solemnly prepared your selves for this Work In the next place prepare your Families Acquaint them you are convinced it is your Duty to be concerned for the Souls committed to you and that you look upon Catechising as a proper Means for their Instruction and confirmation in those great Truths which they ought to believe and Duties they ought to practise Let them know you expect their Compliance in a Matter wherein God may be so much glorified and they benefited Put them upon solemn Preparations for it and if you have observed sinful Miscarriages in any give them particular Admonitions As Jacob said to his houshold
Spiritual herein We may be in danger of Formality without the Use of Forms and we may in some cases make use of Forms and yet not be formal 4. Many Christians that have experienced high Communion with God have been very Spiritual in these Exercises and found their Spirituality promoted thereby 5. The great decay of Spirituality has been more evident in the Christian World since the neglect of Catechising than it was when this Ordinance has been more frequented For the evincing of this I desire you to compare the good old Puritan days with ours Object 2. May some say We scruple at this way of teaching by Question and Answer Where have we any Precept or Precedent for this in the Word of God I Answer 1. God in his Word commanding the Catechising and Instruction of Youth we must perform it in that method that may best conduce to the attaining the End 2. The Method of Question and Answer is a natural way of familiar instructive Discourse and the very Light of Nature has directed the Heathen themselves to the Use of it as Plato and Others 3. We have plentiful Scripture-Instances of God's discoursing with Men and Men one with another by way of Question and Answer in order to Information and Instruction The book of Job furnisheth us with abundant examples beside many other in the New as well as Old Testament even our Lord Christ taught both Privately and Publickly by way of Question and Answer 4. Though I recommend this as a most proper yet I do not assert it the only Method for Familiar-Instruction and my Reader has his liberty to use any other which he finds really conducing to this great End as well as this Object 3. Some Parent or Governour of a Family may object You put us upon a Task extreme difficult and next to impossible We are not Ministers nor can we Catechise I answer 1. I have proved it to be your Duty and therefore you must not plead Difficulty You are not to stand and dispute but go and obey 2. Being Duty if it were a thousand times more difficult than it is God can and if the fault be not thy own he will inable thee to perform it so as shall be acceptable to him and profitable to thy self and others Therefore Pray the more but Practise never the less 3. According to the Method I have proposed the thing is not only possible but may very easily be done I advise you to begin and end with Prayer and I hope you are come so far already as to pray in your Families Else you and they are under that fearfull imprecatione Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name Jer. 10. 25. For the Questions and Answers you have them in the Assembly's Catechism Mr. Allein's or Mr. Lye's Book is sufficient for the further Questionary part and Mr. Vincent's for the further Exposition One that can but read may do all this And then canst thou not read a Psalm fitted to be Sung and some one in the Family set a tune to it Set but thy heart toward the Work and it will be easily done be Spirituall in it and it will be well done But alas many Families plead themselves off from the Duty of Singing Psalms because there is not one among them can set a Psalm-Tune and but few that can follow it To this I will only say Can you not hear your neighbours children or servants sing Ballads Yea do not some in your own Families I speak it to your shame Sing vain and idle Songs why cannot you as well learn Psalm-Tunes and Sing the Songs of Zion Sure either you can sing or may learn You have accomplisht as difficult Tasks in other kinds Charge this on your selves as a Duty and see what may be done Look upon this as the highest Use and Employment your Tongues are given you for Object 4. Some may object Alas we would be willing yea glad to be Catechised but we are sure the Heads of the Family that we are in will never be brought to perform this Duty and so we are excus'd I answer 1. The Governours of your Family ought to do it Our Lord Christ has left no particular exception for them and they must answer it to him if they do not perform it 2. Judge not uncharitably before you have made trial Dare you bear False-witness against yea and judge your Superiour without hearing Use all Endeavours to perswade him Let the Wife of his Bosome the Children of his Body beg at him to take pity on his own and their Souls Let Friends Sojourners and Servants in all becoming ways try to move him One of our Lords Disciples came to him to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples and our Lord immediately taught them Luke 11. 1. So if you with humility say Sir other Masters instruct their Families we beg you would likewise instruct us it may be hoped he will do it Nay may it not be said as was to Moses concerning Aaron Behold he cometh forth to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart Exod. 4. 14. 3 If the Master of the Family will by no means be prevailed with which I am hardly willing to suppose yet obtain at least that another may do it for him As the Wife who is to be a help meet for him or some Servant or some one of the elder Children The Jabez of the family that is more honourable than his brethren 1 Chron. 4. 9 10. Or call in the help of some charitable neighbour 4 If you can by no means enjoy this beneficial Ordinance in your own Family put in and joyn with some other Beg this Bread abroad rather than Starve at home Object 5. Some may object We are a busy hurrying Family and cannot spare time for it I answer 1. Your time is God's and you ought not to rob him of his due 2. This great business according to the Method I have proposed will take up very little time it may be one hour in a week which is but one hour of One Hundred Sixty Eight 3. This will be no Loss but Gain of Time God's Blessing will more than make it up This Whet will be no Lett. 4. For Shame count not that Loss of Time which may be Gain for Eternity Did ever any on a Death-bed and when entring on Eternity call that lost Time which they spent in the Service of God and their Souls Many then have called that time they have spent on the World so 5. Is not as much time actually mis-spent by the Master of the Family at the Coffee-House and otherwise and by the Family at home as ought and might be employed in performing this and other Family-Duties Yea of all the most seasonable time for these things the Evening Do you thus squander time away and yet object the want of it Object 6. Some